This invention relates to an electrical connecting device comprising a housing with connecting means for at least one conductor, and means for coupling to another electrical device, the housing being provided with colored identification means.
With the increase of the packing density in electronic appliances and with the increase in functional applications of the parts of electronic circuits, components of the circuits are colored to an ever increasing extent. This also applies to electrical connecting devices. Often one and the same type of connecting device is used on the same printed circuit board and/or on other boards inside the same electronic housing of an appliance. Each of said connecting devices provides a connection within this space, but will, in general, have a different electronic function, such as power, signal, frequency differentiation etc. and it is undesirable to interchange the connections during manufacture, test or repair. In order to provide a clear distinction, each connecting device inside the appliance is provided with a separate color in order to distinguish the different electrical functions.
One way of achieving these different colors is to manufacture the connecting devices from differently colored resins. In relation to the production of such differently colored connecting devices, the costs will obviously be increased. In addition, differently colored connecting devices have to be kept in stock and the production will become less flexible because different batches have to be manufactured. Finally, between the production of two differently colored identical connecting devices, the injection molding machine has to be cleaned, with corresponding loss of material intervening between the two intended colors.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,820,193 discloses a connector in which a housing with one color is always used. The position at which the separate conductors have to be provided in the connecting device is indicated with the aid of paint dots on the housing. To protect this colored material, a cover plate over the housing is provided with openings. Such a structure is cumbersome to achieve, the working life of the color indication also being doubtful. In addition, especially in small connecting devices, great accuracy is required for positioning the codings.